Schoolgirl, 13, Dies After 100 Sit-Ups Punishment; She Had Anaemia
The girl from Vasai was reportedly told to do sit-ups with her schoolbag on her back. She was punished for being late to school.
A 13-year-old schoolgirl from Vasai, who was allegedly made to perform 100 sit-ups as punishment for arriving late, died a week later. According to the preliminary post-mortem findings, the girl suffered from anaemia, a condition wherein the body stops producing red blood cells, causing severe fatigue.
The girl, identified as Class VI student Kajal Gaur of Shri Hanumant Vidya Mandir (Hanumant High School), was among nearly 50 students disciplined on 8 November for being late to school. The group was reportedly told to do sit-ups with their schoolbags on their backs.
School Claims It Knew Of Girl's Illness
School officials said they were aware of Kajal’s “poor health” and had previously urged her parents to seek medical attention. Principal Ramashray Yadav defended teacher Mamta Yadav, who allegedly ordered the punishment, saying she “did not realise Kajal was among the group” because of the student’s short height, Hindustan Times reported.
“Teacher Mamta has been with the school since its inception in 2009. She has been suspended pending investigation, and we are cooperating with the police and education department’s inquiry,” Yadav said.
Family Rejects School’s Explanation
Kajal’s father, Sikandar, a daily wage labourer, dismissed the school’s claim that he was warned about his daughter’s health. “If they knew she was weak, why would they make her do something so harsh? And why should any child be made to do this?” he said. He also alleged that the school’s CCTV cameras “have been disconnected.”
Sikandar said his daughter complained of intense body pain after returning home on the day of the punishment. The next morning, she collapsed and was taken to a local hospital in Vasai West. After multiple transfers between facilities, including Astha Hospital, Lakshmi Hospital, and finally JJ Hospital in Mumbai, Kajal died last Saturday.
What Post-Mortem Report Says
A preliminary cause-of-death report accessed by the Hindustan Times lists pulmonary oedema and splenomegaly, an enlarged spleen commonly associated with anaemia, as key findings. The final medical opinion is pending forensic and chemical analysis of Kajal’s viscera.
Waliv Police have registered an accidental death report (ADR) and are awaiting the chemical test results to determine whether to file a case under relevant criminal sections. “If the analysis indicates the death was linked to physical stress or exertion, we will file an FIR,” said senior police inspector Dilip Guge.
Parents Stage Protest
News of Kajal’s death has sparked outrage in Vasai. Parents and residents staged protests outside the school last week, accusing the management of routinely using corporal punishment and operating classes up to Grade X without proper authorization.
The Maharashtra education department has launched an inquiry into the incident, while the police are recording statements from the teacher and school management. Corporal punishment is a punishable offence under the Right to Education Act.
On Saturday evening, a delegation from the Shiv Sena (UBT) met Kajal’s family, assuring them of support and demanding strict action against the school and the teacher named in the complaint.
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